Rubber article



May 26, 1936. Q BEAL 2,041,737

- RUBBER ARTICLE Filed Jan. 28, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 26, 1936. QBEAL 2,041,737

' RUBBER ARTICLE Filed Jan. 28, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented I May 26,1936 PATENT rice RUBBER ARTICLE Carl L. Beal, Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio,asslgnor to American Anode, Ina, Akron,- Ohio, a corporation of DelawareApplication January 28, 1935, Serial No. 3,767

6 Claims. 7 (CI. 46-87) This invention relates to inflatable hollowrubber articles such as toy balloons and to methods for making sucharticles, and has for its principal objects the provision of a hollowrubber article which although formed in a generallyrectilinearconfiguration will upon inflation assume a toricconfiguration or generally arcuate shape, and to provide economical andeflicient methods for making such articles.

These and other objects of the invention are achieved by forming thearticle, which usually will be of relatively long slender configuration,to provide in a portion of the article a zone diiiering substantially inlongitudinal extensibility from the rest of the article so that uponinflation portions of the article will elongate more than others andcause the article to assume a desired longitudinal curvatur'e or toricshape. In the case of a tubular article, this end may beachieved byproviding longitudinal zones of different extensibilities. Thus, wherethe zone of greater or lesser extensibility extends the length of thetubular body, the article may assume the form of a closed tore orannulus upon inflation. Similarly, where the zones of greater or lesserextensibility are disposed at different elemental positions along thetubular body, the article may assume the form of tores of reversecurvature. In fact, curvilinear articles of many configurations may beproduced by a suitable disposition of the zones of greater and lesserextensibility. I

Articles embodying the present invention are illustrated in theaccompanying drawings of which Fig. l is an elevation of a rubberarticle embodying the present invention in a preferred form in which thearticle is provided with a longitudinal zone of greater extensibilitythan the rest of the article, the article being shown in an uninflatedcondition;

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the article of Fig. 1 in an inflated conditionand showing a toric configuration assumed by the article;

Fig. 3 is an elevation of a form suitable for use in making the articleof Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken on line fi-d of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an elevation of another hollow rubber article, in theuninflated condition, which embodies a modification of the presentinvention in which there is provided in the article a longitudinal zoneor zones of restricted or lesser extensibility than the rest of thearticle;

Fig. 6 is an elevation of the article of Fig. 5 in an inflated conditionillustrating a reversed toric configuration assumed by the article;

Fig. 7 is an elevation of a form which may be used in making the articleof Figs. 5 and Si and Fig. 8 is a vertical section taken on line 88 ofFig. 7.

A hollow rubber article embodying the present inventionin a preferredform comprises a tubular body ID of extensible rubber composition ofsuitable, preferably uniiorm, wall thickness, the body preferably beingformed in a generally rectilinear,

relatively long and, slender configuration. The

body is entirely-closed and fluid tight except for an inflation openingII which conveniently may continuing for a sufficient portion of thelength of the body to produce, upon inflation, a desired degree oflongitudinal curvature.

When the article of Fig. 1 is inflated, both the circumferential and thelongitudinal dimensions of the body ID will be increased to an extentdepending upon the degree of the inflation, but the longitudinalextension of the body will not be uniform throughout the article, forthe sinuously formed zone will extend in an accordionlike manner to aconsiderable degree without stretching the rubber body any, whereasextension in the rest of the body results only from actual stretching ofthe rubber itself. As a OOH-r sequence of such uneven longitudinalextension, the article upon inflation assumes a longitudinally curved ortoric configuration, and, if the sinuously formed zone extends forsubstantially the entire length of the article, and the article isinflated suificiently, it may be caused to assume a closed toricconfiguration to produce an annulus as illustrated in Fig. 2.

To make the article of Figs. 1 and 2 according to a preferred method, aform l5 of any suitable material and having the desired shape of theuninfiated body i0 is provided. For example,the form l5 may be made ofmetal, glass, bakelite, porcelain, or similar material, and may beeither porous or non-porous as desired. The form {5 preferably comprisesa relatively long slender and substantially circular body-forming memberl6 provided with a series of radially eccentric circumferential ridgesll extending part way around the form and being arranged in longitudinalalignment. Having provided the form It, it preferably is immersed in asuitably compounded liquid dispersion of rubber and a fllm or coating ofrubber is deposited upon the form by any of the well-known processes,and the deposited rubber is dried, vulcanized and stripped from the formto provide the uninflated rectilinear article of Fig. 1. Thisrectilinear article then is inflated to produce in the manner described,a toric article such as that of Fig. 2.

A hollow rubber article embodying a modified form of the invention inwhich the article is provided with a longitudinal zone of restricted orlesser extensibility than the rest of the article is illustrated inFigs. 5 and 6 and comprises a tubular body 20 of generally rectilinearconfiguration formed of extensible rubber composition,-

preferably of substantially uniform wall-thickness. Like the body of thepreviously described article, the body 20 is fluid tight except for aninflation opening 2| which maybe at one end thereof or otherwiseconveniently located. The desired zone of restricted extensibility isobtained by providing, preferably upon the interior of the body 20, oneor more integrally formed ribs 22, extending longitudinally of the bodyfor a-substantial distance.

cumferentially 180 apart, each zone extending approximately half thelength of the body. When such an article is inflated, half the articlewill curve in one direction, and the other half will curve in theopposite direction producing an article of reversed toric configurationor S shape as illustrated in Fig. 6. g

The hollow rubber article of Figs. 5 and 6 may be made in a mannergenerally similar to that previously described for making the article ofFigs. 1 and 2, the principal difierences being in the form required. Inthe present example, a

suitable form illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8 com-,

prises a rectilinear a'nd substantially circular body-forming member 25of relatively long and slender configuration, made of any suitablematerial. The form is provided with two groups 28 and 21 of grooves 28disposed in parallel relationship and extending longitudinally of theform, the two groups being disposed at difi'erent elemental positionsalong the form and spaced circumferentially apart. When such a form isimmersed in a liquid dispersion of rubber and rubber is deposited uponthe form, the grooves 28 are filled with rubber to produce ribs integralwith the main coatingoi' rubber constituting the body of the article.After the rubber is deposited upon the form, it is dried, vulcanized andstripped from the form in the usual manner, and the article is inflated,whereuponit assumes the desired toric configuration.

Inflated articles of many shapes and varied toricconflgurations may beproduced by suitably disposing the zones of greater or lesserextensibility upon the body of the article, and it is understood thatthe two configurations shown inthe drawings have been chosen merely forthe purpose of illustrating the invention and. without intent to. limitthe discovery to any particular toric configuration.

While the present invention is especially useful in the manufacture of.toy balloons of a wide variety of designs and shapes, the principlesherein described are capable of numerous other applications and may beutilized for example in making invalid cushions, in which case theinflated toric cushion may be used with or without an enclosing coveringor casing of fabric or other material, bladders for inflatable circularboats, and similar articles.

Numerous variations and modifications in details of the invention ashereinabove described may be made without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An inflatable hollow rubber article capable of assuming a toricconfiguration when'inflated comprising a generally rectilinear tubularbody of extensible rubber composition having a longitudinal zone ofmaterially greater extensibility when subjected to inflation thananother longitudinal zone of the body; whereby the tubular body uponinflation will assume a toric conflgu- 20 ration.

2. An inflatable hollow rubber article capable of assuming a toricconfiguration when inflated comprising a generally rectilinear tubularbody of extensible rubber composition having a substantially uniformwall thickness throughout, the body wall in a determinate region beingformed in non-planar fashion to provide a relatively narrow longitudinalzone of materially greater ex tensibility when subjected to inflationthan adjacent portions of the body, .whereby the tubular body uponinflation will assume a toric conflguration.

3. An inflatable hollow rubber article capable of assuming a toricconfiguration when inflated comprising a generally rectilinear tubularbody of extensible rubber composition having a substantially uniformwall thickness throughout, the body wall being sinuously formed in adeterminate region to provide a longitudinal zone of ma- 4 teriallygreater extensibility when subjected to inflation than adjacent portionsof the body, whereby the tubular body upon inflation will assume a toricconfiguration.

4. An inflatable hollow rubber article capable 4' of assuming a toricconfiguration when inflated comprising a generally rectilinear tubularbody of extensible rubber composition having a substantially uniformwall thickness throughout, and an integral localizedextensibility-restricting element extending longitudinally of the bodyfor a substantial distance to provide a relatively narrow longitudinalzone of materially lesser exten sibility when subjected to inflationthan adjacent portions of the body, whereby the tubular body uponinflation will assume a toric configuration.

5. An inflatable hollow rubber article capable of assuming a toricconfiguration when inflated comprising a generally rectilinear tubularbody of extensible rubber composition having a longitudinal integral ribserving to restrict extension of the article inv a longitudinal zoneabout the rib upon inflation whereby the tubular body will assume atoric configuration.

6. An inflatable hollow rubber article capable of assuming a toricconfiguration when inflated comprising a generally rectilinear tubularbody of extensible rubber composition having a plurality of integrallyformed longitudinal ribs disposed in parallel relationship in arelatively narrow longitudinal zone of the body and serving to restrictextension of the article in said zone upon inflation whereby the tubularbody will assume a toric configuration.

CARL L. BEAL. 1

